Clamp for woven-wire-fence stretchers.



W. HOPPER.

CLAMP FQR WOVEN WIRE FENCE STRETOHERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1908.

91 3,385; Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

' Tia- WITNESSES IIVI/ENTOR I m'llz'am Jig per BYM O ATTORNEYS row, a. THE mmms PETERS co-, WASH 1H5 WILLIAM HOPPER, OF JEFFERSON, IOWA.

CLAMP FOR WOVEN-WIRE-FENGE STRETGHERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application filed November 21, 1908. Serial No. 463,755.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLmn HOPPER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jefferson, in the county of Greene and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Clamp for lVoven-Wire- Fence Stretchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wire fence stretchers, and more particularly to stretchers of the type shown in my previous patent Number 895,882, granted August 11, 1908.

The present invention relates solely to the clamp, andthis clamp may be used in conmotion with any suitable tension mechanism, that illustrated being substantially the same as shown in my prior application, Serial Number 449,066, tiled August 18, 1908.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ingdrawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of fence stretcher having a clamp constructed in ac cordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the clamp, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the adjusting mechan- 1sm.

My improved clamp is formed of two separate clamping members or jaws 10 and 11, which are drawn into engagement with each other by the application of tension to the stretching means. The tighter the fence is drawn, the tighter will the clamping jaws be forced into engagement with each other, to hold the fence therebetween. The two jaws 10 and 11 may be of any suitable form or material, but each preferably has an inclined working surface, the two surfaces being disposed adjacent each other and at an angle to the general plane of the fence. As shown, the jaw 10 is provided with an in clined rear face 12, while the jaw 11 has an inclined front face 13. The wire fence when clamped between the two jaws, lies in engagement with one side of the jaw 11, and thence extends at an angle between the two faces 12 and 13.

For forcing the jaws into engagement with each other, I employ two levers 14, 1 1, each pivoted to the jaw 10 on the face thereof opposite to the inclined face 12 and adjacent the end of said jaw. The two levers extend toward each other and are pivoted in suitable brackets 15, to swing in the plane of said jaw. At the free end of each lever is a suitable clevis 16 and a link 17 connects both clcviscs to a chain 18 or other means for applying tension to the fence. Each lever 14 carries a link 19 by means of which the two jaws are drawn together. Each link is secured to the front side of its corresponding lever 1st intermediate the ends of the latter and is prevented from longitudinal movement in respect thereto by a plate 20 clamped to the front side of the lever. lilach link 1s 111 the form of a rod or bar bent substantially U-shaped and having substantially parallel. side members 21, each terminating in a. hook for engagement with a corresponding pin 22 on the jaw 11. The pins 22 extend entirely through the jaw and project outwardly at opposite sides thereof, so that a single pin serves for engagement with the hooks of both of the side members of a single link 1.). For holding the links in a sul stantially horizontal position during the adjusting of the fence between the clamps, the jaw 10 may carry outwardly-extending supporting pins 23, substantially as shown.

For varying the extent of the gripping ac tion, the position of the links 19 in respect to the levers 1% may be adjusted by varying the position of the plates 20 in respect to said levers. Each of these plates is preferably provided with a transverse groove in its under surface which receives the transverse portion of the link and each plate has longitudinally-extending slots through which extend the bolts 24: clamping the plate to the lever. By loosening these bolts, the plate 20 may be moved longitudinally to vary the pivotal center of the corresponding link 19 in respect to the pivotal center of the lever at the bracket 15. The greater the distance of the pivotal centers of the links from the pivotal centers of the lovers, the greater will be the clamping action when tension is applied to the chain 18.

In securing the clamp to a wire fence, the lovers 14 are brought substantially into alinement and adjacent the side of the jaw 10. The two jaws are then placed upon opposite sides of the wire fence and the hook ends of the links brought adjacent the pins 22. As tension is applied to the chain 18, the adjacent ends of the levers l-l move outwardly and the resultingv movement of the links 19 firmly clamps the two jaws together and holds the wires forming the fence.

' Any suitable mechanism may be employed for applying tenslon to the chain, that illustrated be ng substantially as shown in my prior patent and my prior application above I means connected to said levers for applying tension, and means connected to said levers for engagement with the other aw to effect the clamping action by the application of tension.

2. A clamp for wire stretchers, comprising two jaws adapted for engagement with opposite sides of a fence, levers pivoted to one of said jaws, tension-applyin means pivotally connected to said levers, and links connected to said-levers intermediate their ends and having engagement with the other jaw.

A clamp for wire stretchers, comprising two jaws adapted for engagement with opposite sioes of a fence, levers pivoted to one of said jaws, tension-applying means pivotally connected to said levers, links connected to said levers intermediate tieir ends and having engagement with the other jaw, and means for varying the pivotal point of said links along the lengths of said levers.

4-. A clamp for wire stretchers, comprising two jaws adapted for engagement with 0pposite sides ofa fence, levers pivoted to one of said jaws adjacent its ends and extending toward each other, tension-applying means having connections with the adjacent ends of said levers, and links connected to said levers intermediate their ends and each having one end thereof detach ably connected. to the other jaw.

A clamp for wire stretchers, comprising two jaws adapted for engagement to opposite sidcs of a fence, levers pivoted to one of said jaws adjacent its ends, tension-applying means having engagementwith each of said levers, and substantially U shaped links, each inclosing the corresponding lever and one of said jaws and detachably connected to the other jaw.

6. A clamp for wire stretchers, comprising two jaws adapted for engagement with opposite sides of a fence, levers pivoted to one of said jaws adjacent its ends, tension-applying means having eigageinent with each of said levers, substantially U shaped links, each inclosing the corresponding lever and one of said jaws and dctachably connected to the other jaw, and means for adjusting the position of said links lengthwise of said levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM HOPPER. lVitnesses HUGH FREE, ARTHUR D. HOWARD. 

